Roll stand



April 21, 1953 H. H. WEBER ETAL ROLL STAND 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 2l, 1951 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 H. H. WEBER ETAL ROLL STAND April 21, 1953 Filed April 21.' 1951 April 2l, 1953 H. H. WEBER ETAL 2,635,823

ROLL STAND Filed April 21. 1951 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Y J'aszpl; [72E/sn c@ April 2l, 1953 H. H. WEBER Erm. 2,535,823

ROLL STAND Filed April 2l, 1951 7 Sheets-Sheet 4v .nnnmwi I' u April 21, 1953 H. H. WEBER Erm. 2,635,823

ROLL STAND Filed April 21. 1951 '7 Sheets-Sheet 5 April 21, 1953 H. H. WEBER ETAL ROLL STAND 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed April 2l, 1951 wh, m?

April 21, 1953 H. H. WEBER ErAL ROLL STAND 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 Filed April 2l. 1951 Patented Apr. 21, 1953 ROLL STAND Herbertl H. Weber, Sheboygan, and Joseph O. Olsen, Milwaukee, Wis., assignors to H. G. Weber and GompanyJnc., Kiel, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application April 21, 1951, Serial No. 222,192

16 Claims. (Cl. 242-58) The present invention is addressed to this specilic problem and has as its purpose to provide an improved roll stand especially adapted to handle the large rolls of paper used in paper bag making machines.

Another object of this invention is to combine in one unit mechanism for transferring from one roll to another and for axially shifting the roll in use automatically as required to maintain proper edge alignment with the machine.

Another object of this invention is to provide a roll stand of the character described wherein the pedestals supporting the roll spindle can be brought in close to the sides ofthe roll regardless of the width of the roll Within the capacity of the machine so as to obviate undue bending stresses upon the roll spindle.

More specically it is the purpose of this invention to provide a roll stand of the character described which is so constructed and designed that a new roll may be placed in position of use without in anywise affecting the withdrawal of the web from the expiring roll so that the end of the fresh roll can be quickly spliced to the web being withdrawn from the expiring roll without entailing any interruption in the operation of the machine. y

With the above and other objects in View, which will appear as the description proceeds, this inventi-an resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafter described and' more particularly defined by they appended claims, it being understood that such changes in the precise embodiment of the hereindisclosed invention may be made as come within the scope of the claims.

The accompanying drawings illustrate one complete example of the physical embodiment of the invention constructed according to the best mode so far devised for the practical application of the illustrating a roll which is about to expire still in the normal running position, and the transfer mechanism in position to transfer the expiring roll to `a secondary or transfer position clear of the space to be occupied by the fresh roll;

Figure 4 is a sectional view similar to Figure 3 but with the expiring roll in its secondary or transfer position and a fresh roll in the running position;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary View of the power drive mechanism by which one of the roll supporting pedestals may be shifted laterally, either under manual control or automatically upon the dictation of an edge feeling trigger, said view being taken on the plane of the line 5--5 in Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a detail sectional view taken through Figure 3 on the plane of the line 66;

Figure '7 is a perspective view of one of the spindle supporting cradles;

Figure 8 is a detail View of part of the roll transferring mechanism;

Figure 9 is an end view of the entire roll stand with the spindle supporting pedestals separated their maximum distance but illustrating in dotted lines the pedestals brought into position supporting a roll ci less Width than the maximum for which the stand is designed;

Figure 10 is a detail sectional View through Figure 9 on the plane of the line Ill-I El;

lFigure 11 is a detail sectional view through Figure 2 on the plane of the line l I-l l; and

Figure l2 is a sectional view through Figure 11 on the plane of the line lZ-l 2.

Referring now particularly to the accompany ing drawings, in which like numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, the numerals 5 and 5 designate two side frames which `are rigidly connected by a pair of parallel way shafts l. These side frames and the way shafts together constitute the main frame of the stand.

Slidably seated upon the way shafts are two similar pedestals 8 and 9, the latter, as will be hereinafter more fully described, being slidable along the way shafts by power driven mechanism indicated' generally by the numeral l0. If desired, the other pedestal 8 might also be power shifted, but in the present case this pedestal is arranged to be shifted manually along the way shafts, and may be locked in any selected position by a screw ilV shown in detail in Figure 10. The screw il is threaded into a portion of the pedestal and is arranged to force a pin Il' inwardly against the side` of the way shaft.

" The pedestals 8 and 9 have a Wide range of adjustment toward and from each other so that they may be brought in close to the sides of the roll to be supported regardless of its width; and one of the features of the invention resides in the fact that in their outermost positions of adjustment these pedestals straddle the side frames and 6, as shown in Figure 9. To this end the side frames are offset at their inner lower portions as at 5 and 6' to accommodate the bottom transverse cross member I2 of the pedestals.

With this arrangement the pedestals can be brought to positions at which their inner faces are substantially coplanar with the inner faces of the side'frames. This allows for the reception of an exceptionally wide roll without unduly extending the width of the stand. Certain structural advantages also result from this arrangement, as will appear hereinafter.

At the top of each pedestal is a spindle cradle indicated generally by the numeral I3. The spindle cradles of the two pedestals are, of course, axially aligned and freely rotatably support the spindle I4 of the roll R. A roll resting upon the cradles i 3 is in the running position, that is, in the normal position of use as distinguished from a secondary or transfer position defined by a pair of axially aligned saddles I5 mounted upon upwardly and angularly disposed outriggers or brackets 'I5 which form an integral part of the pedestals.

One of the features of the invention resides in the fact that two rolls may be simultaneously supported upon the stand, one in the normal running position seated in the cradles I3 and the other in the secondary or transfer position supported by the saddles I5, and it is this fact that enables a fresh roll to be "made ready for use while an'expiring roll is still in service and to splice the end of the fresh roll to the web running from the expiring roll without interrupting the operation of the machine.

Two such rolls are illustrated in Figure 4 wherein the new roll R rests upon the cradles I3 and the expiring roll r is seated upon the saddles I5. With this relationship between the new and expiring rolls the end E of a new or fresh roll hangs down closely adjacent to a stretch of the web W running from the expiring roll r. The web being withdrawn from the roll, whether it is in its running position resting upon the cradles i3 or in its secondary or transfer position resting upon the saddles i5, passes under a pair of parallel idler rolls l1 and I8 and over a tubular cross shaft I9 interposed between the two idler rolls in a position with the top thereof slightly above the level of the undersides of the two idler rolls so as to assure the web being stretched taut over the shaft I9 as it moves thereover.

The shaft I9 mounts an edge alignment nger or trigger 2li which, as will be hereinafter described, controls the mechanism by which the pedestal S is automatically shifted back and forth to maintain the roll in proper position with respect to the machine being fed. The idler rolls H and I8 are journalled upon cross shafts 2! mounted in place by having their ends seated in open topped sockets in inwardly projecting brackets 22 on the side frames 5 and 5 where they are readily removably held by screws 23.

Since the brackets 22 project beyond the inner-faces of the side frames 5 and 3 and the shafts 2i are of a length less than the distance Vbetween the inner faces of the side frames it follows that the idler rolls may be quickly removed whenever such disassembly is desired, providing, of course, that the pedestals are slid to their outermost positions straddling the side frames.

Thus, as will now be clear, the fact that the pedestals can be brought to positions straddling the side frames facilitates the assembly of the machine and maintenance thereof by affording ready access to all parts between the side frames as, for instance, a removable cover 24 which covers the way shafts I and a lead screw 25. The cover is detachably secured to the side frames as at 24.

The cradles I3 are of novel construction and are especially adapted for coaction with the transfer mechanism indicated generally by the numeral 26 by which a roll in position upon the cradles may be transferred to its secondary or transfer position. As best shown in Figure 7, each cradle comprises a crescent-shaped body Z'I provided with an open topped cavity 28 on its inside t0 receive two companion supporting rollers 29. The shafts of these rollers pass through the side walls 3l) of the cavity and freely rotatably support the rollers.

The angularly disposed sides'of the crescentshaped body have hardened steel plates 3| and 32 fastened thereon, and the top surfaces of these plates lie in planes tangent to the rollers 29 and have their inner ends closely adjacent to the roller surfaces. The plates 3| and 32 thus constitute the sides of the cradle and the rollers 29 its bottom. One of the plates, specifically the plate 32, protrudes beyond the adjacent edge of the crescent-shaped body to have interlocking engagement with a correspondingly shaped notch 34 in a track 35 xedly mounted upon the pedestal, whenever the cradle is rocked to its roll discharging o1' releasing position.

The cradles are rockably supported on rollers 35 freely rotatably carried by cradle supporting heads 31 mounted upon the tops of the pedestals. These cradle supporting heads consist essentially of side plates 38 bolted to the opposite sides of the upper portion of the pedestal and arcuately cut out at the top to project radially a short distance beyond the peripheries of the supporting rolls 35. The space between the side plates is just slightly greater than-the width of the crescent-shaped bodies 21 of the cradles so that the cradles are held against shifting axially upon their supporting rolls without interfering with the desired rocking of the cradles; and since the arc of the outer curved surface of the crescent-shaped bodies 21 is concentric to the axis of a spindle of proper size resting upon the cradles it follows that the cradles may rock without in anywise disturbing the position of a roll supported thereon.

In their normal running positions the cradles are retained in an upright position by the weight of the roll thereon so that it requires some force to rock them out of this position, and since the cradles must be rocked to allow transfer of an expiring roll to its secondary or transfer position the transfer mechanism includes means for positively rocking the cradles. This means consists of an'arm vliIJ depending from each cradle and occupying a plane which bisects the angle of the cradle sides formed by the plates 3| and 32. The lower ends of these arms 4B have lost motion connections 4I with links 42 which connect with the transfer mechanism.

The transfer mechanism includes a pair of similar hand levers d3., onel directly inside each pedestal. These levers are clamped to bushings lwhich are .journalled in bearings in the pedestals and slidably keyed to a cross shaft 45. The shaft 45 is long enough to accommodate the maximum separation of the pedestals and is restrained against endwise displacement by end caps 46 which` are detachably secured to the side frames in position to form extensions of the way cover 24. 'Since the bushings 44 to which the levers 43 are clamped are keyed to the shaft 45. the levers, of course, rock in unison, and to assure that the levers will be absolutely aligned withy one another means are provided to adjust them angularly about the bushings to which they are clamped.

This angular adjusment for the levers consists of a sleeve 41 keyed to the shaft 45, and provided with a radially projecting arm 48. The. sleeves `4l are mounted directly inside the levers and the levers have segments 49 on their split hubs facing against the arms 48. A clamping screw 5U passes loosely through a hole in each arm 48 and is threaded into the adjacent segment to clamp the arm to the segment once the proper position for the lever is established. To secure this position u the arms 48 have opposed take-up screws 5l threaded therein with their inner ends bearing against the shanks of the clamping screws, and since the holes in the arms through which the clamping screws pass are somewhat larger than the shanks of the screws, by adjusting the take-up screws relatively ine adjustment of the angular positions of the levers is possible.

it the upper or outer end of each lever 43 is a latch 52. This latch, as best illustrated in Figure 8, is pivoted to the lever as at 53 and is yieldingly urged to a closed position by a spring 5114 seated in a socket in the latch and urging a pin 55 against a shoulder 5t on the lever.

A stop 5l deiines the spring-maintained closed position of the latch. In this closed position the latch coacts with` the edge of the lever to define a relatively deep socket 58 of a size to receive the spindle cones 59 and 6d which are driven int-o the ends of the roll spool and secured tov the spindle by set screws (not shown). At its outer end the` latch has an inclined cam surface il so spaced from the axis of. the shaft 45 about which the levers swing that as the levers are moved from their normal inoperative positions, shown in Figures l and d', to their transfer positions, shown in full lines in Figure 3, the

cam surfaces t! engage the undersides of the spindle cones. In this manner the latches are cammed down to enable the same to pass under the spindle and then snap back up into their closed positions with the spindle hooked onto the levers.

During such movement of the levers to their transfer positions the cradles i3. are positively rocked to swing their side platesSZ down into alignment with the tracks 35 so that as the levers are returned to their normal positions` the spindle can roll down the tracks toward the saddles l5. It is, of course, understood that the sockets 53 are deep enough to accommodate the shortening distance between the spindleV axis and the axis of the shaft 45 as the levers are so rocked and the spindles roll down the tracks 35; and by having the tracks decline slightly toward the saddles gravity causes the` spindle carrying the expiring roll to move toward the saddles but under control of the manually swung levers.

As explained hereinbeiore, the rocking or tipping or the cradles to release the spindle carrym ing the expiring roll is eiected by the links 42 and the depending arms 4d, and, as will be readily apparent, these parts also restoreV the cradles to upright positions as the levers are swung toward the saddles l5. However, the cradles must remain in their tipped positions until the spindle 6 of; the expiring. roll leaves the same and is -on the tracks 35. It is for this purpose that. the connections. 4| have a degree of lost motion.

As the levers are swung toward the saddles l5 and the expiring roll rolls down the tracks and onto the saddles I5 the roll is iirmly held against shifting angularly so that the web` continues to run true and when the levers come torest against their fixed stops 62 carried by the pedestal portions I6, the latches hold the spindle cones on the saddles. Attention is directed to the fact that one of the spindle cones, specically they cone 59, has a pair of flanges $3 on` its outer end to snugly engage the sides of the tracks, the saddle, and the cradle side plates and rollers 2li. Consequently, this spindle cone is at all times restrained against endwise displacement with respect to its cradle, its track and its saddle, and it is this connection between the spindle cone and the cradle which enables shifting. of the entire roll by moving the pedestal 9 in and out. The opposite spindle cone El! has no such flanges and thus can. be shifted axially with respect to its supporting pedestal.

The reception of the saddle between the flanges 63 affords meansfor establishing proper edge alignment between the fresh roll and the expiring roll, and to this end the saddle upon which the spindle cone 59 rests is transversely slidable across the top surface 64 of the pedestal portion Iii; and is shiitable by rotation of a screw 65. As best shown in Figure 6', the screw d5 is held against endwise displacement with respect to the pedestal portion I6 and meshes with a half nut (is on the bottom of the saddle. Adjustment of the saddle shifts the entire expiring roll and enables the same to be brought into absolute alignment with aA fresh roll disposed upon the cradles as shown in Figure 4.

With the corrective shifting oi the expiring roll there is, of coursegthe necessity for adjusting theV entire pedestal 9 to restore the web W to proper edge alignment with the. machine being fed. The edge alignment mechanism thus functions at this time. This edge alignment mechanism is under the control of the linger or trigger 2t which` is adjustably mounted upon an edge alignment bar 5l within the hollow shaft I il. The'position of the finger or trigger 2li upon the edge alignment bar 6l is adjustable along the length of the bar and is frictionally held in its adjusted position; which, of course, depends upon thev width of the roll being handled..

This bar El is axially shiftably mounted in the shaft lsf and protrudes into the interior of the side frame 5 where it connects with a lever 6B iixed to the actuating shaft 59 of` a monitoring control unit Til. An adjustable weight H biases the shaft S9 in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 2A, to hold the finger or trigger Z0 against the edge of the web. Hence, any shifting of the web from a predetermined position and causedv in any manner, results in a corresponding displacement of the bar 6l from its normal neutral position to thereby operate the monitoring control l0.

The monitoring control 'lll governs the operation` of a drive motor l2 which is adapted to be drivingly connected` through a gear transmission, indicated generally by the numeral 13, to the lead screw 25 to turn the screw in one direction or the other, depending upon whether the web shifted in or out,l it being understood that the drive motor is reversible and thatl the connections to its power supply are governed by the monitoring control 1U.

Y The gear transmission 'I3 comprises a driving pinion 'I4 drivingly connected to the motor, ax ially shiftable idler gears I5 and a pinion 'l5 and gear 11 fixed to the lead screw. The idler gears are carried by an idler shaft 'i8 axially slidably journalled in suitable flxed bearings and adapted to be slid to right or left from a neutral position at which neither the gear nor the pinion of the idler 'I5 has driving connection with the lead screw.

If the idler is shifted to the right, as viewed in Figure 2, a relatively high speed driving connection is established to the lead screw whereas if it is shifted to the left a low speed drive is obtained. The former is used during manually controlled power shifting of the pedestal 9 while the latter is used during automatic shifting of the pedestal.

This axial shifting of the idler is effected by solenoids 'i9 and 8l). The energization of these solenoids is controlled by push buttons 8| and 82, respectively, on a control panel mounted on the side frame t. If the solenoid 'i9 is energized the idler is shifted to the left from its neutral position where it is held by a spring mechanism 83, to establish a low speed driving connection to the lead screw, and if the solenoid 8u is energized the idler is shifted to the right to establish the high speed driving connection to the lead screw. Since the low speed is used for the automatic control and the high speed for manual control, the button 8i is designated automatic and the button 62 hand The panel also has two additional control buttons 84 and 85 which perform the same function as the automatic edge alignment finger or trigger when the drive is under manual control. One of these buttons, upon being depressed, effects operation of the drive motor to move the pedestal S away from the pedestal 8, while depression of the other results in movement of the pedestal 9 toward the pedestal 8.

To translate rotation of the lead screw into sliding adjustment of the pedestal 9, a nut 85 through which the lead screw runs is keyed to the pedestal and held against axial displacement by large clamping nuts 81 threaded on the ends of the nut and bearing against the sides of the pedestal.

A hand wheel 88 fixed to the end of the lead screw and flush with the outer face of the side frame 6 provides means for manually turning the lead screw. This hand wheel has a socket in which the crank handle B9 is removably received.

In effecting the transfer from one roll to the other the expiring roll is moved to its secondary or transfer position resting upon the saddles I5 in the manner described and after the fresh roll has been moved into running position upon-l the cradles I3 and prepared for operation so that its end E hangs down into juxtapositionto the web W beingl withdrawn from the expiring roll, and after proper alignment has been established between the two rolls by adjustment of the saddle screw 65, the free end E of the fresh roll is ready to be spliced to the web W. To facilitate such splicing both tracks have their outer portions hinged to swing out of the way as shown in dotted lines in Figure 4.

I Operation tions equispaced from the center of the stand a distance determined by the width of the roll. The pedestal 8 is, of course, manually shifted to its proper position and locked in place. The pedestal 9, if desired, can be shifted manually by means of the hand wheel 88 but is preferably moved to its proper position by the power drive. For this purpose the hand button 82 controlling energization of the solenoid is depressed to shift the gear transmission from neutral into high speed. Then, by depression of the buttons -84 and 85 the power drive is operated to shift the pedestal 9 in or out as required to bring the same to its proper position.

A roll which has previously had a spindle passed through its spool and a pair of spindle cones 59 and 60 driven into the ends of its spool and made fast to the spindle is then lowered into .place upon the cradles I3 with the iianges 63 of the spindle cone 5S embracing the supporting rolls of the cradle on the pedestal 9. This locks the spindle and roll against endwise displacement with respect to the pedestal 9 so that by shifting the pedestal it is possible to shift the entire roll.

The end 0I" the roll is then Vpassed under the idler roll I1, over the hollow tubular shaft I9, under the idler roll I8 and threaded into the machine being fed. As soon as the end or the roll is thus operatively connected to the machine and the machine is started, the automatic edge alignment control operating at the dictation of the finger or trigger 2B effects any corrective shifting of the pedestal which may be needed to assure proper edge alignment between the roll and the machine being fed.

As the roll thus mounted in Iplace nears its point of depletion and transfer to a fresh roll is indicated, the levers 43 of the transfer mechanism are swung from their normal inactive positions to their transfer positions shown in full lines in Figure 3. In so doing the latches 52 which are carried by the levers are snapped onto the spindle cones to thus nrmly hold the spindle against the levers. With the same motion of the levers the cradles are rocked to swing their side plates 32 down into alignment with the tracks 35. There-V upon the levers are swung back toward their normal inactive positions carrying with them the expiring roll, and after the spindle has left the cradles this movement of the levers swings the cradles back into upright positions.

During the transfer of the expiring roll from its running to its secondary or transfer position seated Vupon the saddles I5 the web W is, of course, continually withdrawn from it, and since the levers and latches rmly hold the expiring roll against any angular displacement the web continues to run true.

As soon as the expiring roll has been thus transferred to its secondary position seated upon the saddles I 5 anew roll previously equipped with another spindle and spindle cones is lowered into position on thercradles I3, and when thus placed its end E is cut oif diagonally and otherwise made ready to be spliced to the web W being withdrawn from the expiring roll.

Since no two rolls are positioned exactly alike upon their spools, it is, of course, a practical impossibility to have the edges of the new roll in absolute alignment with those of the expiring roll, but such alignment is necessary before the new roll can be spliced onto the web. To secure such alignment the saddle adjusting screw B5 is actuated to shift the saddle carried by the pedestal 9 one way or the other as required to move the expiring roll into alignment with the fresh roll. During such shifting of the expiring roll `the automatic edge alignment mechanism functions to simultaneously shift the pedestal 9 as required to maintain proper edge alignment be tween the web and the machine being' fed.

When the proper alignment is established between the new and expiring rolls, the bridging sections `35 of the tracks are swung up to open positions and the operators make what is known as a flying splice between the `end E' oi .the new roll and the travelling web W being with drawn from the expiring roll. This `having been done, the depleted core of `the expiring roll is lifted off the saddles andthe machine continues to operate with 'the web `being supplied from the new roll.

What we claim as our invention is:

l. .A roll stand of the character describedcornprising: a pair vof spaced supports; a cradleffor each of said supports adapted to receive and support one end of a roll spindle; `means mounting said cradles upon their respective supports in axial alignment and `for rocking motion about 'a common axis; means on said cradles -for supporting a roll spindle in axial alignment with the axis yabout which the cradles rock, so that the cradles may rock without dls'trubing the position or" a roll spindle supported thereby; `a saddle carried by each of said spaced supports at a distance from `its cradle, said saddles 4being axially aligned and equispaced `from `the cradles, and like the cradles being adapted to support a `roll spindle; a track carried by each support and extending between the cradle and saddle thereon and across which aioll spindle may roll from ,the cradles to `the saddles; and means for simultaneously rocking both cradles to discharge a roll spindle therein onto said tracks.

2. A roll stand of the character' described, comprising: a pair of spaced apart pedestals; a pair `of spaced `open topped spindle bearings carried by each pedestal, said spindle bearings of the `two pedestals being in opposed .axial alignment and each pair being adapted :to `support a roll spindle so that two roll spindles may be supported upon the pedestals at the same time; a track carried by each pedestal and extending between its two spindle `bearings and across which .a spindle may roll from one bearing to the other; one pair of said two 'pedestal carried bearings comprising axially aligned open-'topped cradles having diverging sides and means for freely 4rotatably supporting a spindle placed in the cradles, .and means rockably supporting the cradles for voscillation about the `axis of a spindle supported therein between van upright operative spindle holding position and a'tilted .spindle discharging position at which the `lowered sides of the cradles align with the tracks .so that .a ,spindle `in .the cradles may roll vtherefrom onto the Ltracks; and transfer mechanism for simultaneously .rocking the cradles to their tilted spindle discharging positions and .effecting movement of `a nspindle 'from `the .cradles .across the .tracks to .the other .pairiofsaidbearinga l 3. ,A .rollstand or the character described, .com-

prising: spaced .pedestals; a spindle supporting cradle roekably supported `on each pedestal; a spindle supporting saddle mounted on each pedestal and spaced horizontally from .the cradle,

and across which a spindle may roll from the cradle to the saddle; a pair of manually movable members constrained to movement in unison along xed paths extending between the cradles and saddles; latch means on said members engageable with .a spindle vin the cradles to hook the spindle to said members whereby upon movement .of said members toward the saddles a spindle may be moved along said tracks from the cradles to the saddles; and a connection between the cradles and said members by which the cradles are rocked to discharge a spindle therefrom onto the tracks as said members are moved toward the cradles and restored to yupright positions as said members are moved toward .the saddles.

4. A roll stand of the character described, comprising: spaced pedestals; a spindle supporting cradle rockably supported on each pedestal; Aa spindle supporting saddle mounted on each pedestal and spaced horizontally from the cradle, the cradles and saddles of the two pedestals being axially aligned, and the axes of the cradles and saddles being parallel; a track on each pedestal extending between its cradle and saddle and `across which a spindle may roll from the cradle to the saddle; a pairoi pivoted levers arranged to swing in unison between `the cradles and saddles; latch means on said levers engageable with a spindle in the cradles `to hook the spindle to said levers whereby upon swinging movement of said levers toward the saddles a spindle may 'be moved along said tracks from the cradles to the saddles; and a connection between the cradles `and said levers by which the cradles are rocked to discharge a spindle therefrom onto the tracks as said levers are swung toward the Acradles and restored to upright positions `as said levers are swung toward the sad- -dles.

15. The -roll stand defined in claim 4 further lcharacterized by the fact that said connection between the cradles and the levers has a degree of lost motion so that the spindle leaves the cradles before the cradles are restored to uprightpositions.

6. The roll stand of claim 5 `further characterized 'by the -iact that said connections between the cradles and `the levers comprise arms fixed to Athe cradles and depending therefrom; links 'pivoted to the levers; and lost motion connections between lthe links and said depending arms. '7. Apparatus Afor transferring from one roll of web stock to another without interrupting the -movement of Ythe web to its destination, comprising: a pair of `axially aligned main spindle `bearings adapted to support a roll spindle in the normal running position of the roll, said main spmdlelbearings comprising open-topped cradles rockablysupported `for oscillation about `the axis of a spindle supported `therein between upright operative spindle holding positions and tilted spindle discharging-positions; a webguiding roller beneath said -rnain bea-rings and around. which the web being unwound from ra roll carried by a spindle supported by said main bearings may 4pass directly from the roll; a pair -of axially ing said main bearings to their spindle discharging positions may roll to the auxiliary bearings so that a roll about to be depleted and supported" by the main bearings may be transferred to the auxiliary 'bearings while the roll is being unwound and without disturbing the withdrawal of the web from the roll or its passage around said guide roller other than to increase the length of the stretch of the web extending` from the roll to the guide roller whereby a fresh roll deposited upon the main bearings has its periphery in juxtaposition to said stretch of the web to enable making a ilying splice of the end of the fresh roll to the web; and means for rocking the cradles comprising the main bearings to tilted spindle discharging positions and for effecting movement of a spindle released from the cradles by such rocking thereof across the track to the auxiliary bearings while holding the spindle against any angular displacement which might cause the web to run untrue.

8. The apparatus set forth in claim 7 but wherein said last named means comprises a pair of pivoted levers mounted to swing Vabout an faxis parallel to the axes of the main and auxiliary bearings and substantially equispaced therefrom; latch means on said levers automatically engageable with a spindle in the main bearings as said levers are swung toward the main bearings to hook the spindle to the levers;

and means for constraining the levers to movement in unison with their latch means holding` a spindle engaged thereby in parallelism with the Iaxes of both said bearings but with the spindle resting upon said track.

9. In a roll stand of the character described: a main frame including a pair of stationary side frames and ways extending between and connecting the side frames; `a pair of laterally spaced pedestals mounted upon the ways for bodily movement of one of the pedestals toward and from the other; means for moving one of said pedestals along the ways toward and from the other to thereby enable the pedestals to be positioned close to the ends of the lroll to be supported; a pair of axially aligned open topped spindle bearings on the pedestals and onto which a roll spindle may be lowered; means providing a connection between the bearing of the movable pedestal and a spindle in place thereon restraining the spindle against endwise displacement with respect to the movable pedestal so that by slight adjustment of ISaid pedestal toward and from the other after the spacing between the pedestals has been correlated to the width of the roll, the position of the roll carried by the spindle may be shifted as required to maintain a predetermined edge alignment for the web being withdrawn from the roll; power means for moving said pedestal in either direction to shift the roll as required to maintain the said edge alignment; Iand automatic control means for said power means including la feeler engageable with the edge of the web.

10. The structure set forth in claim 9 further characterized by the fact that said power means includes selector mechanism for rendering the power means responsive to said automatic control means or to manual control; and manually controllable means governing the operation of the power means for shifting the movable pedestal as desired.

11. In a roll stand of the character described: a main frame including a hollow side frame 12 member, another side frame member and ways extending between and rigidly holding the `side frame members in xed laterally spaced relation; a pair of laterally spaced pedestals mounted upon the ways for bodily movement of one of the pedestals toward yand from the other; spindle bearings carried by said pedestals and adapted to receive a roll spindle; means providing a connection between the bearing of the movable pedestal and a spindle thereon whereby the spindle is restrained 'against endwise displacement with respect to said pedestal; la lead screw parallel to the axis of said bearings; a nut carried by the movable pedestal and riding on said lead screw so that rotation of the screw shifts the movable pedestal one way or the other depending upon the direction of rotation of the screw to thereby enable the pedestal to .bepositioned close to the ends of the roll to be `supported; a reversible drive motor in the hollow side frame member for turning the screw; a gear transmission in said hollow side frame member between the motor and the screw; an automatic control for the motor including a feeler engageable with the edge of the web being withdrawn from a roll on the spindle and operable by deviation in the position of said edge of the web from a predetermined norm to effect operation of the drive motor in the direction to correct the condition having caused the deviation; a manual control for the drive motor; and means for s electively rendering the drive motor responsive to either the automatic or the manual control.

12.`A roll stand of the character described, comprising: a main frame including laterally spaced side frames and ways extending between vsaid side frames; a pair of pedestals slidably supeach of said pedestals, said spindle bearings being axially aligned to receive the spindle of a roll and thus supoprt the roll between the pedestals, the adjustability of the pedestals toward and from each other enabling the pedestals to be brought into close juxtaposition to the ends of the roll; means for locking one of the pedestals in a selected adjusted position; a lead screw mounted in the main frame and extending between the side frames in parallelism with the axis of the spindle bearings; -a nut threaded upon the lead screw and fixed to the other pedestal so lthat'rota'tion of the lead screw slides the pedestal along the ways; means providing a connection between the bearing of said last named pedestalV 'and a roll spindle thereon restraining the spindle yagainst endwise displacement with respect to the pedestal; and means for turning said lead screw Ia roll in place between the pedestals.

13.V The roll stand set forth in claim l2 fury'ther characterized by the fact that the pedestals and the side frames are constructed to nest with the inner faces of the pedestals coplanar with the inner faces of the side frames.

14. A roll stand of the character described, comprising: a pair of pedestals; means mounting the pedestals for movement of one of them toward and from the other; horizontally spaced main and auxiliary bearings carried by each 0f said pedestals; a track on each pedestal extending `between its main and auxiliary bearings so that a roll spindle resting upon the main bearings may be transferred to the auxiliary bearings by being rolled Iacross said tracks; drive mechanism for shifting the movable pedestal toward and from the other pedestal; means providing a connection between the main bearing, the auxiliary bearing and the track of the movable pedestal and a roll spindle to be supported, so that a roll spindle supported thereby is rrestrained against endwise displacement with respect to said main bearing, track and auxiliary bearing of the movable pedestal; a transversely sliding connection between the auxiliary bearing and said movable pedestal so that a roll 4spindle supported on the auxiliary bearings may be shifted axially with respect to the pedestal; and means for shifting said auxiliary bearing transversely across said pedestal.

15. A roll stand of the character described, comprising: a pair of pedestals between which an expiring roll and a fresh roll may be simultaneously supported; means mounting said pedestals for movement of one of them toward and from the other; axially aligned main bearings on the pedestals for supporting the spindle of a roll in the running position; axially aligned auxiliary bearings carried by the pedestals for supporting the spindle of a roll in a secondary or transfer position, said main and auxiliary bearings being horizontally spaced apart a distance such that with an expiring roll supported by the auxiliary bearings a fresh roll may be deposited upon the main bearings; a track carried by each pedestal and extending between the main and auxiliary bearings and across which a roll spindle may be rolled from the main to the auxiliary bearings; means supporting the auxiliary bearing of the movable pedestal for adjustment transversely of the pedestal; means for so adjusting said auxiliary bearing; and means providing a non-axially shiftable but freely rotatable connection between the main bearing, track and auxiliary bearing of the movable pedestal and a roll spindle in position thereon so that by lateral adjustment of the auxiliary bearing of said movable pedestal an expiring roll supported on the auxiliary bearings may be brought into alignment with a fresh roll on the main bearings, while a predetermined edge alignment may be maintained for the web running from either roll by laterally shifting the movable pedestal.

16. In a roll stand of the character described: a pair of pedestals; means mounting the pedestals for movement of one of them toward and CIL from the other a pair of main bearings carried by said pedestals, said main bearings comprising rockable cradles having converging sides and freely rotatable supporting rollers at the bottom thereof, said supporting rollers and the converging sides being of the same width; a pair of spindle cones of a size to be rotatably supported upon the rollers of the cradles, one of said spindle cones having a pair of flanges spa-ced to snugly receive therebetween the converging sides and supporting rollers of one of the cradles so that said spindle cone is restrained against endwise displacement with respect to the pedestal upon which it rests; a roll spindle connecting the spindle cones and upon which the roll to be unwound is supported; means rockably support ing the cradles for rotation about the axis of the roll spindle; a track carried by each pedestal and having an end positioned to align with one side of the cradle upon rocking of the cradle to a discharging position whereby a roll spindle in the cradles may be rolled out onto the track, said tracks being of the same width as the sides of the cradles so that the iianged spindle cone embraces the track to hold the spindle against axial displacement while on the tracks; and means for rocking the cradles from their normal upright positions to discharging positions with one side of the cradles aligning with the tracks.

HERBERT H. WEBER. JOSEPH O. OLSEN.

References Cited in the le 0f this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 935,494 Griin Sept. 28, 1909 940,272 Peto 1 Nov. 161, 1909 1,605,568 Seig Nov. 2, 1926 1,655,226 Higgins et al Jan. 3, 1928 1,671,685 Scott May 1928 1,945,981 Quinby Feb, 6, 1934 2,094,896 Knowlton 1 Oct. 5, 1937 2,108,232 Nash Feb. 15, 1938 2,130,233 Greenwood Sept. 131, 1938 2,535,815 Seeger Dec. 26, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 273,016 Great Britain June 27, 1927 

